The present invention relates to packaging for pharmaceutical products and the like and in particular relates to the field of child-resistant product packaging.
It is generally known that pharmaceutical products can be distributed in a variety of forms. Single dose pharmaceutical products are commonly available in tablets, lozenges, capsules and the like. It is also known that some pharmaceutical products can pose a health risk to young children who are unable to recognize the risks if such products are ingested.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide child-resistant pharmaceutical product packaging which prevents a child from accessing the product yet provides access to adults. To this end, various types of child-resistant packaging has been developed.
Many older designs incorporated sliding drawers (having a bottom and four sides) slidably engaged in a housing. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,350xe2x80x94Horvath, U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,098xe2x80x94Howard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,488xe2x80x94Anjou III, U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,210xe2x80x94Anjou II, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,284xe2x80x94Drodz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,222xe2x80x94McNary, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,137xe2x80x94Weinstein and U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,291xe2x80x94Sledge.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,829xe2x80x94Johnstone et al. discloses a two piece paperboard package that houses a unit dose product. In one embodiment, the package has an outer paperboard shell formed with a cut away and a release button. This paperboard shell must be folded and glued in a separate manufacturing step The unit dose product is carried on an inner slide card formed with a folded extension that is inserted in the paperboard shell (closed position). In operations, the folded extension contacts the cut away formed in the paperboard shell when the inner slide card is moved outward. This prevents removal of the inner slide card. The inner slide card is released by pressing the release button which deflects the folded extension thereby preventing the folded extension from contacting the cut away.
Improved structures for packaging single dose pharmaceutical products are desired. In general it would be desirable to provide a packaging structure which is simple to manufacture and assemble and yet provides enhanced security features.
The invention relates to child-resistant package having a shell with a first locking part and a tray having blister card coupled to a tether having a second locking part. In a closed position the first locking part engages the second locking part to limit the movement of the tray relative to the shell. A first release part is provided and is operable to disengage the first and second locking parts and free the tray to move from the closed position to an open position. The blister card is preferably hingably coupled to the tether. In a preferred embodiment, the blister card is coupled to the tether by an ultrasonic weld.
Another aspect of the invention provides a child-resistant wherein the shell has a third locking part and the tray has a fourth locking part. In a closed position the third locking part engages the fourth locking part to limit the movement of the tray relative to the shell. A second release part is provided and is operable to disengage the third and fourth locking parts and free the tray to move from the closed position to an open position. The first, second, third and fourth locking parts must be disengaged to free the tray to move from the closed position to an open position.
Another aspect of the invention provides a shell with a top and bottom, the bottom having at least one side formed with a groove operable to cooperate with the blister card.